


A Number

by 5_0_5



Category: My Chemical Romance
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Freeform, Highschool AU, I'm Bad At Tagging, M/M, Smoking, They All Gay, depressed bois, frank is a badboy stereotype, gerard is tired, literally everyone is gay i promise, mentions of petekey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-21
Updated: 2018-05-21
Packaged: 2019-05-09 16:30:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14719625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/5_0_5/pseuds/5_0_5
Summary: Gerard's eyes focus on the slightly bent cigarette with large black numbers on it. he slowly picked it up, his own burning cigarette hanging loosely from the right side of his mouth. "A number?" Ray leaned over, running his finger over the slightly blurred numbers. Gerard smiled, barely noticable. "Yeah" he muttered softly. "I think its Franks."





	1. Cigarette

**Author's Note:**

> no beta read, here we die like men

As Gerard's bare feet hit the cold wooden floor of his room, he found himself wishing he had asked for carpet when moving in, but this happened every morning.  
He'd wake up, wish he had carpet, listen to his brother curse about something then play it off as nothing to their mother and Gerard actually was getting tired of it. He stood up, forcing himself not to look at the digital clock on his generic bed side table like he did every other morning since moving here about 6 months ago.

He pulled on a random t-shirt hanging in his closet and wiggled himself into a pair of faded gray skinny jeans. He grabbed his over-worn jacket off the foot of his bed and shrugged it on, opening the creaky bedroom door to see his brother run by with what resembled a half-eaten orange in his hand. Gerard walked to the bathroom, leaving his door open as an excuse to listen to the low lull of the music he didn't know what song was playing, but it sounded nice.

 _I'm so sorry_  was the only recognizable lyric as he shut the bathroom door, the bottom edge dragging along the wooden floor. He noticed it today more than he used to. The annoying 'shuck' of the bristles against his teeth and the slight burn of the mint toothpaste on his lips ticking at his brain.

Maybe he was tired of the routine he lived,

Wake up, Wish he had carpet, Listen to his brother cuss, Get dressed, Forget to turn off his radio, Brush his teeth, Avoid breakfast and talking to his mother.

So he spits the blue foam out into the sink and rinses his mouth with slightly too cold water and wiped the surrounding foam off with a rag, then he left, speed walking past his mother.

He sat on an empty table beside the front door and pulled on his dusty black Converse, he was up and out as Mikey came barreling down the stairs, still tugging on a slightly-too-big red hoodie. Gerard held the door open and Mikey mumbled a "thank you" with a mouth full of bacon,

"Weren't you eating an orange?" Mikey swallowed heavily, "Yeah, I was" Gerard smiled and pulled the door closed, bouncing down the steps and walking along side his younger brother.

"So" Mikey looked up at his brother questioningly "You and Pete Wentz?" Mikey immediately went red "N-no, no no that's-" Gerard chuckled at his brother.

He'd seen the way Pete looked at Mikey when he knew he wasn't watching, it was a loving look, it could be nothing more than a high school crush, but it was still sweet nonetheless.

He wrapped his arm around Mikey's shoulder, ignoring the cold that swept through him and grinned. "Sure, bro, whatever you say"

Mikey ran off about half way through the walk to school to walk with Pete, but Gerard found it sweet. he shoved his discolored apple headphones into his ears, playing some song he didn't care to see the name of.

_H_ _ave you got color in your cheeks?_

_D_ _o you ever get that fear that you can't shift the type that sticks around like something that's in your teeth?_

_A_ _re there some aces up your sleeve?_

Gerard recognized the smooth voice of Alex Turner singing the lead vocals for  _do I wanna know._

Three songs blazed through his ears while the October air wept at his lips. He stood at the school gates, cigarette in his fingers. he brought it to his lips and patted his pockets for his red lighter, only to realize it was missing. Mikey most likely took it for Pete, since he also smoked. "dint trust brother with a crush on a smoker" he muttered to himself. he looked around weakly, searching for someone to borrow a lighter from. though the only other smoker in the school that wasn't exactly secretive about the habit was frank zero.

Gerard numbly walked over to the boy, his pale hands deep in his pockets, clutching the fabric in nervousness. "H-Hey, can I borrow a lighter?" His anger at stuttering was cut short but a small, baby blue lighter in the palm of Frank's ghostly pale hand. Frank continues sucking on the cancer stick between his overly pink lips, which Gerard kinda wish he hadn't noticed. He lit his own cigarette and passed the lighter back.

he turned to walk through the gate, back to wait for Ray but Franks smooth, calm voice stopped him. "don't you know those things kill you?" Gerard's eyes briefly locked onto rays, before turning to face Frank. "maybe I wanna die" he walked away, his face as red as a tomato.

"Poetic" Ray scoffed, his hands buried in his generic dark blue hoodie, his wild afro poking out of his hood. Gerard sighed, taking a huff of the cigarette. "Yeah I know, better renew i=my member ship at the slam poetry place down town" Gerard rolled his eyes, cracking a smile at his friend. "dude. sign me up to, check out my snapping skills" ray brushed his fingers together attempting to snap but failing miserably "dude you'd fit right in" Gerard grinned, some gray smoke filtering through his nose as he continues to suck the toxins into his lungs.

something abruptly whacked against his shoe, Ray was ready to tell someone off for throwing something at his friend but found nothing.

Gerard's eyes focus on the slightly bent cigarette with large black numbers on it. he slowly picked it up, his own burning cigarette hanging loosely from the right side of his mouth. "A number?" Ray leaned over, running his finger over the slightly blurred numbers. Gerard smiled, barely noticable. "Yeah" he muttered softly. "I think its Franks."


	2. Us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the plot actually starts wow

Gerard's heart beat heavy as he walked home, Mikey skipping by his side, commenting on things around them as he usually did, going on spaced sentences about Pete. Gerard's hand felt the cigarette in his jacket pocket, still hazy from the way his heart skipped a beat when he realized it was Frank's number in the middle of calculus.

Ray had explained that it was most likely Franks number, and truthfully Gerard hoped it was. "Hey G, Hey Ray!" Lindsey Ballato bubbled up to the two boys, who sat on the picnic benches out side of the school. she grinned, her cherry red cheeks balling up. she sat down, flattening her plaid skirt down and shuffling her slightly too tight shirt around a bit. she had high self-confidence and didn't fear to show off a little more skin than most girls at the school. Gerard sighed, "Hey Linds." Ray nodded, typing away on his phone. Gerard had one earbud but in his ear, and a dazed look in his eyes. "whats on your mind?" she leaned on the table a bit, resting her head on her hand. "its-" Gerard was cut off by the harsh bell. Gerard told her "I'll tell you later." she just nodded, her pitch black piggy tails swaying with her head. her eyes seemed focused on something else, SOMEONE ELSE. Gerard just walked on, up the old concrete steps.

he texted franks number last night, but didn't get a response. and no matter how long he scanned the crowd, he could find the 4 feet tall douche bag. he sighed, turning the wheel on his lock, and when he tugged it down, expecting it to pop open, it didn't. he just tugged and groaned. clearing his mind, he repeated the locker combo to himself slowly. 12-15-30. he put it in and silently cheered when the lock popped open. he pulled his chemistry binder from the array of others and slammed the locker shut. he locked the lock and stomped off, his mind trying to navigate the nebula that was frank zero.

though just as he passed the 3rd-floor bathrooms, an arm pulled him in, his binder falling to the floor with a smack and himself to clash against the wall, his eyes trained on Frank, who had his hand over Gerard's mouth. Gerard turned his head, looking at where his binder lay, open on the floor, displaying last weeks notes. he frowned before his mind fully registered what was happening.

frank Iero, THE Frank Iero had his tattooed left hand on Gerard's mouth, his right on his pink lips that Gerard didn't want to admit that he wanted to feel. he wriggled away from frank, gasping dramatically and reaching for his binder. frank grinned at him, his eyes holding a mischievous glare. "why am I here?" Gerard asked gently, looking around the bathroom. ANYWHERE BUT FRANK. "you're my accomplice" "in what exactly?" Gerard asked nervously.

"something dangerous" Frank pointed at two black duffle bags laying on against the wall under a sink. Gerard sighed dis-heartedly. he showed his binder to Frank who shrugged "what am I supposed to do with this?" "put back It back your locker I guess" Gerard glared "which is 2 floors down." Frank sighed annoyed, grabbing the duffle bags and dragging Gerard out of the bathroom and down a few halls. he stopped at the elevator, which had "STAFF ONLY" written in red beside them. they weren't guarded, so virtually anyone could use them, but you get caught. the security cameras worked. frank pulled up his hood and turned to Gerard, who stare at him, still mildly confused about everything.

frank realized Gerard had a simple leather jacket on and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "cover your face" he pulled his jacket together, opting not to question it and walked in the now open elevator. it smelled like furniture polish has had mirrors covering the walls. he looked down, as did Frank. his eyes trailing over to Frank in the mirror, slightly shocked to see Frank looking back, that's all he could see though. franks hood covered everything but his almost gold eyes.

the elevator dinged, and the two breathed out a silent held breath in unison as the stepped out. "that was fucking stupid" Gerard remarked. some kid had been suspended when he was caught in the elevator, his name was like Jon or Joe or something. frank just grinned, following Gerard to his locker. "NUMBER 349" Gerard nodded, shoving his binder in and locking it.

"why am I ditching?" "follow me" Franks scratchy voice made Gerard follow, his eyes dragging him to and fro wildly. He had seen Frank, heard things about Frank. how he was evil, how he was just another high school fuck up. how he beat some 8th graders face in and broke his leg over some weed. Gerard was scared of Frank. scared of what he'd heard about him. nothing he head was good about frank, except for the fake ass girls who gloated about how good he was in bed, though Gerard chose to never believe a word. he heard about Frank holding someone over the edge of the roof, he heard about Frank kicking someone in the face in the middle of algebra. but he never heard anything about things he knew were true. like how Frank worked at a shelter for animals. and Gerard would NEVER tell anyone about that.

Mikey had gotten a puppy for his birthday, due to Gerard's cat allergy. so when they walked into the place, he saw Frank walk into the back with a bag of animal food. it was about a year ago, so maybe Frank had changed, but it didn't seem like that.

when Gerard's mind stopped racing, he was standing in front of the gym door next to Frank. frank pushed them open and turned to Gerard, bowing wistfully, holding the door for him. Gerard chuckled, playing long. "why I must thank thy, for ...uh... presenting thyine-" Gerard struggled for a moment. "place of.., sanction?" Gerard laughed, walking through the door. frank wheezed a heart filled laugh, his head falling back and his eyes closing with tears. Gerard laughed too, looking into the gym.

no one ever talked about his laugh. how it lit up the room with love and the feeling of butterflies in Gerard's stomach and how he put his hand to his chest and how he threw his head back. "that was awful" Frank grinned, walking up to Gerard and smirking, handing him a duffle bag, which was heavier that Gerard anticipated. "senior prank bitch" "but we're juniors" Gerard raised an eyebrow. "fuck off" Frank smirked.

"we're gonna set off smoke and stink bombs and spray paint the walls, as well as block the entrance with silly string." Frank explained, unzipping his bag. "isn't that a bit much?" "Nah" Frank dismissed. "we're also gonna spray paint the walls" "we?"

frank turned to him, "you're here aren't you?" "Yeah..." "then yes. us." Gerard's heart sped up a beat. "okay" he blindly agreed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so most of my current works are kind of put on hold as im experiencing a weird decline in my writing ability, so all of my shits been, well, shit recently


End file.
